Bouncy Bouncy Xantia

josamolly · Post by **josamolly** » 05 Oct 2006, 11:01

I have an M reg Xantia Diesel and its like driving a bouncy castle at the moment. The rear looks fine so i suspect something isn't working to well at the front. The suspension goes to its highest and lowest levels fine, the front just bounces about when i'm driving along..

Normally i wouldn't bother to much about it but the wife nearly knocked herself out last week so i need to get it done..

any clues people..

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 05 Oct 2006, 11:26

Sounds like it needs new spheres to me.
Stewart

josamolly · Post by **josamolly** » 05 Oct 2006, 11:30

thanks.. are these expensive? and how easy are they to fit..

Stewart(oily) · Post by **Stewart(oily)** » 05 Oct 2006, 11:47

Search this forum for more info, GSF sell them for under £20 each.
Stewart

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 05 Oct 2006, 13:10

basicly they just unscrew,but you must depresurise the system first,then you need a fairly substantual pipe chain wrench,once you have them off smear some cleane LHM aronud the seal surface before refitting the new spheres,do them up just a bit more than hand tight
regards malcolm

stevenlizuk · Post by **stevenlizuk** » 05 Oct 2006, 15:37

Bad or leaking spheres would make the ride harder not softer wouldn't it?

As the spheres lose gas the spring is lost due to the gas volume becoming smaller in the sphere.

What could be wrong with the spheres to make the car bouncy?

Cheers

Steve

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 05 Oct 2006, 15:55

Car becomes bouncy when the spheres are flat - even better seen at night when the headlight beams dance all over the place.

Basically its got no suspension - and the bounce is caused by a combination of pitch, undamped compression of tyres, and compression of various bits of rubber bushings and stops (strut tops) as well as bodywork flexing.

Sort it quickly before something else gets damaged.

mezuk04 · Post by **mezuk04** » 05 Oct 2006, 19:47

If its just the fronts it will take less than 5 minutes each to replace, it did me, and i'd never done any before

pie eater · Post by **pie eater** » 05 Oct 2006, 22:58

Josamolly,

If you're near Manchester, take the car to Westroen in South Manchester. They will replace any flat spheres with recon ones for £25 each, fitted, and guaranteed for 3 years. They've just done all 6 on my Xantia. Wow - bounce gone, magic carpet back. Fantastic.

The Pie Eater.

josamolly · Post by **josamolly** » 06 Oct 2006, 11:17

Thanks guys.. i'll give this a crack at the weekend, fed up of banging my head..